The Star Crossed Lovers from District Two
by papermemory
Summary: The 74th Hunger Games in the perspective of Cato and Clove.
1. Chapter 1

{Chapter 1}

Clove mounts the stage, standing next to her ridiculously dressed escort, Kirrily, fresh from the Capitol. She asks for volunteers. For once in District 2, no one comes forward. Clove smirks. They know me, she thought. I'm Clove Eldridge, the girl who never misses her target. She may be small. But she's deadly at a distance.

Cato watches Clove, the girl he has trained with since they were very little, though he has never tried to talk to her, he knew her face better than anyone else's. He watched as Clove slowly made her way to the podium. So, Cato volunteered too, he was known for being arrogant, after all, he was born the head's son. He looked over at Clove and gave her a reassuring nod when they had announced them as volunteers of District 2.

Oh no, not him, Clove's thoughts raced as she watched Cato make his way to the podium. Cato, of all people had to volunteer? She's usually an angry person all the time. But he's the only one who makes her feel anything else. Love. Clove has loved that boy since she was five. He's never even glanced at her until now. Cato nods at her. She's not sure why. But she can't stop looking at him. Kirrily asks them to shake hands. As soon as their skin makes contact, Clove feel a jolt of electricity pump through her. She'll be having to kill her lifelong crush. The odds aren't exactly in her favor this year.

Cato smirks, he knows Clove as the girl who never misses. Cato is determined to ask Clove to be his ally. While shaking Clove's hand, he gives her a reassuring squeeze to let her know that everything will be alright.

As they exit from the podium, he whispers to Clove in a voice only audible to her, "Everything alright?"

His breath sends shivers down her spine. This is the first time he's ever spoken to her. She gulps and simply nods, walking to her room.


	2. Chapter 2

{Chapter 2}

Clove sit on the plush red velvet chair and looks out the window. She can't get Cato out of her mind. How will she be able to kill him? Clove's mother bursts in the door with tears in her dark eyes that resemble Clove's. She pull her into a hug. She didn't expect Clove to get reaped.

"Just win. Do it for Dad. Do it for me. I don't care about the money or the kills you make. Just win, Clove," she pleads.

"I will win. Don't worry," Clove reassures.

But I'm a peanut against Cato, she thought, he can kill me with his bare hands.

A few minutes later, Clove's mother is escorted out and Clove is left with herself staring blankly out the window. Cato must have a lot of visitors, she thought, he is very popular here in Two. Kirrily opens the door, telling her it's time to leave.

Cato enters his room. He may seem popular but he knew otherwise. His dad would surely not come, he was busy with work as the Head of District 2 anyway. His mom hated him, he knew. He sat on the couch looking out the window. He just wanted this to be over, he will try his best to keep himself and Clove alive, he'll ask her out on a date if they win. He wondered until Kirrily came into the room to escort him to the train. He sighed.


	3. Chapter 3

{Chapter 3}

Clove walked on one side of Kirrily with Cato on the other side. They were pushed into a car where Kirrily started to explain to them what they will see in the Capitol and how they'll love it very much. Oh please, Clove thought. She stares out the window, too scared to look at Cato. They arrive at the train station where Clove sees her mother still crying. She gives her a small smile and waves her goodbye. Clove stares in awe at the train. Bright colors, fancy decor, and rich food. Kirrily brings them to the sitting room with a giant television. Clove sits in the chair next to Cato and stares at Kirrily.

"I'm going to find Brutus and Enobaria. I'll be right back," Kirrily says. Before Clove can protest, she's gone. Great, she thought, now I'm alone with Cato. Clove grits her teeth together and continues to stare forward at nothing as the room grows silent.

"Hey, do you think...maybe...we could work together in the games? We could use your skills and my strength to win. I mean...we could win...right?" Cato said.

But before Clove could reply, Brutus and Enobaria had walked in. He held Clove's gaze for a little longer and looked back, at Brutus and Enobaria.

Clove felt him staring at her as their mentors walk in. She bites her lip. He just asked to be allies, she would love to be allies. It would keep her alive longer. But the question is, how much longer? Enobaria studies Clove.

"Clove Eldridge. I heard about your knife throwing," Enobaria starts. "You're a tad small, though." Clove looks at her.

"I don't see how my size matters. I can kill a large tribute with my knife from thirty feet away before he knows what hit him," Clove says matter-of-factly.

"I want you guys to ally with the tributes from districts 1 and 4. Gloss and Cashmere insisted on you guys meeting them when we arrive in the Capitol since the Tribute Parade is tomorrow night," Brutus says. Great. More people.

Cato looks down on his hands. He had wanted himself and Clove to be alone. His ally being Clove and hers him, nobody else.

He sighed and said in a low voice, "I'll be in my room if you need me".

He slowly makes his way to the door, grabbing a snack on the way. "I'll be waiting for an answer, Clove" he says.


	4. Chapter 4

{Chapter 4}

Cato walks into his room, adjusting and becoming familiar with it. He sits on his bed with a loud thump. Sighing, he places his head into his hands. He shouldn't have volunteered, but if he didn't, Clove would never have noticed him, he wanted to keep Clove safe from the other tributes, that was why he volunteered. His eyes gave way and small tears started to stream down his cheeks. He was ashamed of himself, for allowing himself to cry.

He heard a small knock on his door, he can't have Clove see him like this, he thought. Quickly, he wiped the tears away with his hand. Clearing his throat, he slowly opened the door, peering through the small crack, he saw Clove she looked troubled.

"Hey," he said allowing her to come into the room.

**She** didn't know how she got so courageous, coming to Cato's room like this. She sits on his comfortable bed as he stares at her. This time, she looked back into his icy blue eyes and finds herself getting lost in them. She gives him a sad smile. His face is red and his eyes are puffy. He couldn't have been crying, she thought, the great Cato Hadley does not cry, he's the toughest person she knows.

"Are you okay?" Clove finally asks. Her voice is so soft and it shakes nervously. Damn. This boy makes her so nervous.

"It's nothing, I'm fine, really, I am." Cato says, meaning to but failing to make his voice sound reassuring.

He looks into Clove's eyes. They hold the moment for a few more seconds when Cato breaks the gaze by looking into his hands again, a habit nobody ever noticed.

Clove's fingers start to tremble, "Yes," she says, but it's barely audible.

She begins to comb her dark hair with her fingers. Her trembling fingers need something to do. So she starts braiding it down her right shoulder.

"Yes, what?" Cato asks.

She takes a deep breath. "Yes, I'll be allies with you," she says.

And with that, she stands up and flees the room before he has time to react. That's the first time Cato and Clove had a conversation and it was nerve wrecking. She goes into her room and decides to stay in her reaping clothes. No point in changing them, she thought. They'll be in the Capitol in an hour or so anyway.

Cato sat there, awestruck, he was not sure how to react. Cato was also not sure what she meant, if they would be allies alone or with the people from the other districts, as the mentors suggested. He guessed he wouldn't mind being allies with the other districts too, they could probably give them protection and when the other allies' numbers were falling, he and Clove could kill them. He smiled and let himself fall asleep for a few hours before they would arrive at the Capitol.


End file.
